Venomous describes animals that produce poison, called venom, and can inject it into other creatures through a bite or sting. A rattlesnake is venomous because it has fangs that inject venom when it bites. Bees are venomous because they can sting and pump venom into your skin. Venomous animals use their venom mainly for hunting prey or defending themselves.

People often confuse venomous with poisonous, but there's an important difference: venomous animals inject their toxins, while poisonous creatures are dangerous when you touch or eat them. A poison dart frog is poisonous because its skin contains toxins, but it doesn't bite or sting you. A cobra is venomous because it bites and injects venom through its fangs.

The word can also describe people's words or attitudes when they're filled with bitter hostility. A venomous remark cuts deep and feels designed to hurt, like venom spreading through the body. When someone speaks with venomous hatred, their words carry poison meant to wound others. This metaphorical use captures how harmful and deliberate such meanness feels.